Picking Apples Speed Painting

For this excercise, we had to copy an image that was handed out in class, and were given a time limit of (about) two hours. We could use the techniques taught to us in previous sessions in order to complete as much of the image as possible.

First, I started off with a blue background and added a faint gradient in the sky. 

Then, on a new layer, I added the mountains in the background. It took me a long time trying to get the right shade of blue/purple. I forwent the mountains to the right as they would be hidden behind the trees.

I then added the trees on another layer. As with the mountains, I spent a long time trying to get the correct tone. Achieving the same shape in the tree also took a lot of trial and error. I tried to take into consideration the atmospheric purple that effected the tree's tone as they got further away.

I added the front trees and fence posts on another layer, again trying to account for the purple atmosphere.

This final element is what took me the longest. Trying to recreate the correct shape of this character took me a long time. It still isn't even correct, but I had run out of time.

For this exercise, I didn't even attempt to blend the colours or add any detail. Around the edges of the trees, you can see I have added simple blobs of colour in an attempt to 'imply' the detail that was present in the original. I also didn't even get to adding the second character or the moon. What I find most difficult is actually controlling the pen. I spend a lot of time 'trial and error-ing' brush strokes, attempting to get the correct shape.

Chairs in Maya

Modelling Tools in Maya

In this tutorial, we modeled a hammer and a crowbar.

My Hammer and Crowbar

I found most of this tutorial relatively easy. An aspect that was new to me was using the non-linear bend tool. However, learning to use this tool was fairly simple. I was unaware deformation tools like this even existed in Maya.

I am extremely glad I have discovered these deformation tools, as a part of my Unity project needs bending pipes, and I thought I would have to manually rotate each individual edge loop myself in order to create a bend.

UV Texture Mapping

In this session, we were taught the process of UV mapping. The purpose of this process is to define how a texture is projected onto a polygonal model. A well planned and thought out UV mapping process would mean a texture occupies less space in the system's memory. Whilst there is a tool in Maya to do this automatically (with numerous preference options if a particular requirement must be prioritized), it may be necessary to do the process manually if a certain layout is needed in order to appropriately edit the texture in Photoshop. Regardless, doing the process manually helps us understand how the system works anyway.

Using the turret model we made in our last Maya session, we would manually map the UV texture using Planar Mapping.

My unwrapped UV set.

Unfortunately, I have lost the work I completed in the session. Luckily, I understood the process and have created this quick model and unwrapped it in order to demonstrate my knowledge of UV mapping.

I selected all the X-Axis facing faces (either positively or negatively) and projected their UVs from the X-Axis. You can see the result in the UV texture editor. All the faces facing the X+ direction appear blue in the editor, and all the faces facing the X- direction appear red in the editor. I did the same for the faces facing the Z-Axis and Y-Axis.

If I were to create textures for this model, any texture applied to the 'red' faces would appear inverted, as they are being projected from 'behind' the face. I could either inverse these faces' textures in Photoshop or inverse their UV mapping to fix this.

Fish Modelling Tutorial

In this Lynda tutorial, we had to model a fish using a sketch as reference. The sketch was supplied to us, as was the scene file that had the sketch applied to a plane as a texture.

Using the side view in Maya, we modeled a basic profile of the fish, making sure to add faces for the eye. Once we had done that, we could then mirror the model over the X-Axis. We could then use the symmetry settings on the Move, Scale and Rotate tools in order to make sure our model is the same on all sides.

This was the reference we were given.

This is the model I finished with.

We could then use a 'smooth' view to see what our model would look like if the smooth polygons tools was used.

Star Wars Turret Modelling in Maya

In this session, we were tasked with modelling a turret in Maya, using an image of a Star Wars turret as reference. The purpose of this exercise was to further develop our knowledge of Maya's polygonal modelling tools. Robin gave a short demonstration showing us how we should start to approach this exercise, and the rest of the lesson was spent modelling the turret ourselves.

This was the Star Wars turret we had to model.

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First, I started off by creating a Cube. 

Then, I selected the top face component and moved it down. I then scaled it negatively in order to create this Pyramid cross-section shape. 

I then used the extrude tool to bring out the top face. Again, I scaled the top face component in order to create the basic shape of the Turret's base. 

Then, using the bevel tool, I beveled the edges of the entire model, excluding the bottom four edges of the base. 

Using the Insert Edge Loop tool, I inserted two vertical edge loops in order to create the two entrances either side of the model. I then extruded the two faces inwards, and beveled the outermost edges of the entrance.

Maya Introduction

In this session, we were asked to create a model of a silo based off of a picture. Similar to the Old Lady painting session, I believe this was so that the tutors could get an idea of our level of experience in Maya. I have used Maya extensively before, so I am relatively familiar with the interface and how the basic tools work. However, I am relatively new to polygon modelling, as my experience in Maya has been almost exclusively with Maya Fluids.

This is the image of the silo we had to model.

Much the time I spent modelling this silo was spent re-familiarizing myself with Maya's interface, as I hadn't used it in a while. When it came to using the polygonal modelling tools, not much was required in order to create this silo. It is a relatively simple structure, and so I managed to complete it fairly quickly. The majority of it was created with the basic primitive object creation tools, with only a couple of extrusions in order to create the lip and the windows.